For some time, probably since I moved 3 years ago - but more so over the last 12-18 months, I have found it increasingly difficult to service the store. Suburban Rocketry is a part time gig that I have tried to keep going while working full time, balancing a young family plus all the other demands we all have in life. Before I moved out of Sydney I worked comfortable hours and was close to home, now I work longer hours and spend at least 2 hours per day commuting. The window I had to comfortably run the store is gone and I am failing to find the time elsewhere. The store isn't the only thing suffering, overwhelmed with life I am!

To take a peek inside my mind, it would also be obvious that I can no longer classify rocketry as a hobby. Truth is I haven't been active in rocketry now for perhaps 3 years. I had grand plans but there are not enough hours in my day to allow any of these plans to even get started let alone come to fruition.

I see no option at this point but to flick the switch on the store. I am messing people around, often taking a week to process orders and sometimes going just as long or longer to get back to people who make general inquiries. Customers deserve better than this and it is stressing me out as I see the back-log growing more and more knowing the whole time I am letting people down. Stress isn't good and I am feeling the weight of the store demand all the time with no relief in sight. I am not climbing the clock tower with a high powered sniper rifle just yet - but I am having strong urges to kick the kids dog for no reason. Well not really, but the point is the added stress is not healthy.

Deciding to close the store has been a long time coming and not something I am taking lightly. I have 30K plus worth of stock and most people would acknowledge this as a considerable investment to walk away from. Furthermore, I am very mindful of those who rely on my store as a local solution to their hobby.

Thinking back I remembered just what a buzz rocketry gave me. I think at my rocketry peak this was obvious, at least probably to the guys in the NSWRA club who personally knew me. For this reason I believe that in time I will return to rocketry and be born again. I don't see it happening in the near future, but I am confident enough that a return is inevitable because even now occasionally I find myself mentally considering some goofy rocket design my mind has conjured up. With this thought in mind I have decided simply to seal my stock up and put it into storage - and see what happens in time.

I currently have a back-log of orders in the store. To any customers waiting I do apologise and I will endeavour to work through things over the next week. I will understand if under the circumstance people want to cancel their orders, but having said this I am not going anywhere.

OK.... Finally, big thanks to those who have supported my little endeavour in the past. I still consider many of you friends despite the appearance I had fallen off the Earth. I am sorry for anyone who relies on the products I offer, I would like to keep things going and frankly I would like to keep the pocket money coming in (who wouldn't?), but I can't keep things going the way they have in recent times so have little choice.

I will leave the store switched on until close of business 21/6/2013 and from that moment forward I won't be taking any more orders.

"You could give Aristotle a tutorial. And you could thrill him to the core of his being ... Such is the privilege of living after Newton, Darwin, Einstein, Planck, Watson, Crick and their colleagues." - Richard Dawkins

I am sorry to hear that you are taking a step back from rocketry for the time being, but fully appreciate that you must put your family first. I'm sure that the Australian rocketry community will agree with me that what you achived with Suburban Rocketry in making rocketry kits and parts available here, has really played a big part in getting hobby rocketry in this country to where it is today, and for that I for one am very grateful. The quality of service you were able to offer in doing so has been nothing short of exceptional.

All the best for the time being, and I look forward to flying rockets with you again when time permits.

Hi Darren,Thanks for the update. It was always going to be tough with a new job, new house an a new addition to the family. Taking a break from rocketry must have been a tough decision, but certainly the right one given the circumstances. Health and family have to come first.We all look forward to seeing you back in the hobby in the future

"Pub, ah yes. A meeting place where people attempt to achieve advanced states of mental incompetence by the repeated consumption of fermented vegetable drinks" (“Timeslides”)

Hi Darren, Sorry to hear stress is catching up with you so much. Sometimes we don't know just how much stress we are under and dealing with until it becomes too excessive and drastic measures need to happen. I hope you can shed as many tasks as you need to get back to more of a balance.

Ditto everything above I actually purchased a kit from you some years ago and received excellent service. For those that know me, know I just don’t buy or use any commercial kit for rocketry so even though it hasn’t been flown yet (it was for my wife actually), take that as a testament to the sensational reputation and respect you built within the community and it’s very much a loss to the hobby to see your participation focus on other areas. Good luck nevertheless with your endeavours and hope to see you back soon.

Sorry to hear your life is so stressful at the moment Thanks for all your help in the past - you supplied all my rocket stuff in my first year of rocketry, including my Level 1 rocket.If you're ever in Victoria on a Tripoli launch weekend, come along as a 'guest of honour' and just enjoy seeing some rockets flown, without having to do anything except enjoy the day!